Conventional support structures for music instruments, such as conga drums, endeavor to support an instrument in an upright position for play mostly from a standing position, whether during practice or a musical performance. Some support stands, intended primarily for conga drums, utilize an assembly of one or more collapsible legs mounted to the drum, e.g., four to six legs of varying height, to approximate a truncated cone for receiving the drum lower end and, thereby, suspend and support the drum in a vertical position, while providing collapsibility for storage after use.
Others utilize a support ring suspended by legs, each leg having a holding attachment for engaging the sides of the drum. Still other support stands provide a ring-framed carrier with a round hole at its center and balancing blocks extending from its rim and being adjustable radially thereto for securing a lower rim of the conga drum.
Further drum stands utilize one or more support legs attached permanently to the drum. While such arrangements have been found useful for base drums, their geometry, the permanence of the support leg mounting, and need to drill holes in the drum and/or use mounting brackets can not only interfere with the use and acoustics of the drums, but also limit the angle, direction and length of adjustment. In addition, maintaining one angle and/or one height, which is standard for most players, is considered unsuitable for optimal conga drum operation, collapsibility and portability. Moreover, the permanence of the support legs adds weight and bulk and hinders portability of the drums.
Adjustable stands have also been developed for small percussion devices (e.g., cymbals and traps). Such stands utilize, for instance, an adjustable shaft, rail and setscrew or tool arrangement to lock the shaft against rotation and, thereby, prevent undesired movement of the device, which is connected to the shaft. While beneficial for relatively small percussion devices, they are deemed unsuitable for congas and other large percussion arrangements. In addition, they are permanently mounted to, and provide support from, the top of the drum, as opposed to support from beneath the drum which enables sound to project from there below. Furthermore, special tools that may be required for their set-up or take-down are often expensive and easy to lose.
In the case of conga drums, a support stand is, therefore, desired that not only provides structural stability and prevents damage to the drum from tipping, falling and striking a hard surface during use, but also orients the drum suitably for optimum play, particularly from a seated position, without hindrance of percussive and other acoustic sounds produced. Also significant is the need for rapid deployment of the structures for a music performance and take-down when a show is over and the musician wishes to leave the stage relatively quickly to make room for the next performer or to travel elsewhere for the next gig.
A simple, low cost, light weight, effective and non-obtrusive support for conga drums, especially from a seated position, is, therefore, desired that provides ease and simplicity in their set-up, take-down and portability for transport.